Ballroom Dancing

2012: The Year Dance Music killed rock & roll

It's not every day that legendary A&R man Seymour Stein is sitting next to Lee Anderson, the agent for Skrillex. Yet there they were, sitting on this panel to discuss whether dance music has overtaken rock. "Rock & roll has always had its ups and downs," said Stein, "but rock has managed to always change itself and keep going. It's spent 60 years in the front and center of the music business all over the world." The discussion floated to topics such as social media, touring, and recording for both genres. "It's a lot easier to manage a DJ," explained Simon White, who manages acts from both sides. "DJs can tour on one track a year, play gigs with CDs, and there's no band arguments." Audiences remain strong for both segments, and by the panel's end, it seemed clear that the two can coexist. Dance remains a major force, though, and one hot topic was whether the communal vibe of dance music can survive once translated into stadiums. "A dance concert is about the people there," explained Pasquale Rotella, CEO of Insomniac Events. "They dress up, explore, look at each other, and dance. It's only recently that there's been a focus on the stage. Dance music doesn't make sense seated."